Kampala, The African Union (AU) has today concluded a training workshop aimed at improving understanding and compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights for officers of the Somalia National Army. The Human Rights Section of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) contributed in facilitating the training.
The training, which started on 20 August 2013, was conducted in two phases with a total of 59 officers benefitting. During the training, the officers were taken through critical aspects of IHL especially those aspects that are applicable to the Somalia context; the protection of victims and civilians in armed conflicts; the rules of the conduct of hostilities; the protection of detainees; the protection of humanitarian and relief personnel and objects; and acts of war crimes in non-international armed conflicts as well as command responsibilities.
The training resulted, among others, in the adoption of a forward looking strategy and action plan, the need for train-the-trainer courses and the publication, in Somali language, of a code of conduct for the Somalia National Army.
The AU Special Representative for Somalia and Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif thanked the Political Affairs Department of the AU Commission for funding the training. He also expressed his appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Uganda for hosting the training and the Durban, South Africa-based African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) for the logistical support provided for the conduct of the training.
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